Companies are now welcoming employees after 4 months of quarantine and lockdown. Even though the coronavirus still exists and still dangerous but cases are starting to decrease, this is why some companies are preparing to reopen but with taking serious precautionary measures.
If you own a company and you are thinking about having your employees back in the office, there are some things you need to put into consideration and some steps that need to be followed.
Here are six key tips on how you can use to safely re-opening your workplace after Covid-19
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1- Make Sure Your Employees Are Ready
Before informing your employees with any decision, you have to think really carefully about it and calculate the risks of having employees back in the office again. Since this is a matter that involves all company’s employees, you have to make sure that they are ready to be back especially if they are mentally ready.
You can have an online meeting with them to discuss the possibility of them returning or you can have a one to one meeting so every employee can discuss their concerns freely.
You have to keep your employees involved just like you have been doing the past months.
2- Welcome Back to Work Email
If you are settled and your employees are ok with getting back, then one of the very first steps you should take is writing a nice warm email to welcome back employees. This will boost their energy and put them in a better mood.
All employees want to feel that their company is like their second home so make sure to give them a warm welcome back.
3- Start Slow and Move Wisely
The next step after reopening your company is to start slow; you don’t have to open with all of your energy, you should take it one step at a time.
Start with creating a plan on how you want your work system to be; since all your employees have been home for a long time, you can specify certain days for them to work from the office, you don’t have to operate the whole week from the office, you need to get them used to go to the office gradually.
Also, you can decrease the working hours as a start and gradually get them back to be full 8 hours.
3- Keep Your Business Flexible
You have to be aware that your employees are back with less energy and with a little bit of worry since the pandemic is still out there. This where your tolerance and flexibility are required as you might find some employees struggle with being at the office on time or even have difficulties in being there on a daily basis.
Also, put in mind that if an employee felt sick, they will have to stay home and that some employees might not be able to operate from the office if they have old family members.
5- Ensure A Safe Working Environment
To start, firms will need to adopt firm cleaning procedures for customers and employees. In response to COVID-19, the CDC has promulgated recommendations for how cleaning should be done.
This is an important step, having a safe environment will encourage the employees to feel ok about being at the office again. Create a new seating plan so everyone can keep their distance, make sure that employees are wearing their masks, and try to have as many hand sanitizers and medical alcohol as possible. If you can measure the employees’ temperature as well, it will make them feel safer.
6- Maintain Effective Communication
Don’t lose communication with your employees just because they are back! You have to keep the communication going and you have to keep supporting them just like you did when they were working from home.
In fact, your employees will need more support since they will be working while feeling a little bit anxious about getting infected.
Be there for your employees, make them feel that you are still understanding the circumstances; it will encourage them and will ease their anxiety a little.
You and your employees are what makes the company great, so before making any decision, make sure that your company is 100% ready to have its employees again.
